Good evening. Here is theThursday, July 13edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
Slovakia will host Spanish soldiers
Acting Defence Minister Martin Sklenár (r) during a NATO summit in Vilnius. (source: Slovak Defence Ministry)
Seven hundred Spanish soldiers will become part of the multinational NATO battlegroup in central Slovakia. It is the first time that Spain will deploy its military forces in the country.
This was announced by Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez during a recent NATO summit held in Vilnius, Lithuania.
"It is clear proof that we can rely on our allies," said Slovakia's acting Defence Minister Martin Sklenár.
The Spanish unit will become the largest that Spain will send abroad. Soldiers, tanks and armoured vehicles should begin their mission in late 2024. Prior to that, the Spaniards should take part in a military drill in Slovakia in the autumn.
At the Lešť military training, 1,100 soldiers are deployed under the command of Czechia. The battlegroup was formed in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Related: The Slovak government has approved the procurement of 160 multi-purpose combat vehicles 4x4 produced by the Oshkosh company. The $190 million purchase will be covered by America's Foreign Military Financing programme. The vehicles should arrive in 2025. The Hlas party has called on the interim technocratic government to cancel the procurement because Slovakia will have to pay €35 million on VAT. Slovak disinformation media are already speculating about whether Slovakia will have to send these vehicles to Ukraine in the future.
More stories from The Slovak Spectator website
Politics: A pensioner who threatened President Zuzana Čaputová will not be taken into custody, the Bratislava court has said. The man, in his 70s, has to comply with several obligations and restrictions, though.
Corruption: Bosnia and Herzegovina has refused to extradite former Slovak police officials facing corruption charges to Slovakia.
Business: How innovative were firms in Slovakia when it comes to HR in 2022?
Travel: At the Košice Castle, you can become a potter.
Culture: The popular Bratislava club KC Dunaj has reopened. It has a new name and a new address.
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FEATURE STORY FOR THURSDAY
3 things to do in Bratislava for free
A fountain outside the Presidential Palace in Bratislava. (source: SME - Marko Erd)
President Zuzana Čaputová will welcome visitors to the Presidential Palace in Bratislava tomorrow, July 14.
The open door day coincides with the national day in France. Events will be held on this occasion on Bratislava's Main Square.
In other news
The Slovak economy is not catching up with the EU. On the contrary, it has been moving away from it in recent years, reports the central bank (NBS). "We need a completely new strategy to get closer to the West," said acting Prime Minister and former central banker Ľudovít Ódor. The NBS pointed out that the GDP per capita, calculated according to purchasing power parity, was 68 percent of the EU average in Slovakia last year. In 2016 it was 73 percent, and in 2021 it was 71 percent. According to the NBS, the problem has been going on for a long time. It cannot be attributed only to the pandemic, inflation or the energy crisis.
In the town of Vysoké Tatry, northern Slovakia, a free parking lot will be available for visitors to the Tatras, in the area of the former Eurocamp at the beginning of Tatranská Lomnica. At the same time, a shuttle bus service will be introduced for tourists heading to Biela Voda from Monday.
The Sme daily writes aboutuniversity lecturer Miroslav Iliaš who teaches at the Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica, central Slovakia, and who spreads pro-Russian views on social media. He also attacks the Slovak president. Even though the faculty at which Iliaš teaches disagrees with his activities, there is currently no legal reason for his dismissal.
The Ján Kuciak Investigative Journalism Centre has looked into the story of Anton Goriev, aRussian spy who had worked as a diplomat in Hungary for several years before he moved to Bratislava. In the Slovak capital, Goriev hurt a woman in a car accident. It was not the reason why he was expelled from Slovakia. It was Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Roughly 2,000 planes fly over Slovakia every day. The number can increase to 2,400 flights during the summer, security specialist Pavel Sovák from Flight Operations Services said on Thursday. (TASR)
Google's AI chatbot Bard is now available in Slovak and in Slovakia.
Thousands of ties are displayed on the White Square in Košice. It is a work of art by Slovak photographer and conceptual artist Lousy Auber. (source: TASR - František Iván)
WEATHER FOR FRIDAY: Overcast weather, scatter showers. The highest daytime temperature will rise to 31°C, and to 24°C in northern Slovakia. Moderate breeze. (SHMÚ)
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